Method and apparatus for charging a portable electrical device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one device from a set of devices consisting of;
(a) a portable electrical device capable of storing electrical energy and requiring periodic recharging, and (b) a charging device for supplying electrical energy to said portable electrical device during recharging thereof;
wherein said portable electrical device and said charging device comprise respective complementary mating surfaces which transmit electrical energy from said charging device to said portable electrical device during recharging of said portable electrical device, said respective complementary mating surfaces being in an aligned configuration opposing each other during recharging; and
wherein said portable electrical device is placed upon said charging device by a user, said portable electrical device aligning its mating surface with respect to the mating surface of the charging device automatically, without pre-alignment by a user.
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Abstract
A portable electrical device requiring periodic recharging mates with a corresponding charging device by dropping or placing the portable device on or in the charger without pre-alignment by the user. The charger-to-device interface self aligns the portable electrical device in the charger for charging. Preferably, the charger is a bowl-shaped cradle, and the mating surfaces as well as the contacts are symmetrical about a vertical axis. The portable device sinks to the bottom of the bowl using the force of gravity and thus aligns the contacts for recharging. Optional magnets may provide additional force to guide alignment.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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at least one device from a set of devices consisting of;
(a) a portable electrical device capable of storing electrical energy and requiring periodic recharging, and (b) a charging device for supplying electrical energy to said portable electrical device during recharging thereof;
wherein said portable electrical device and said charging device comprise respective complementary mating surfaces which transmit electrical energy from said charging device to said portable electrical device during recharging of said portable electrical device, said respective complementary mating surfaces being in an aligned configuration opposing each other during recharging; and
wherein said portable electrical device is placed upon said charging device by a user, said portable electrical device aligning its mating surface with respect to the mating surface of the charging device automatically, without pre-alignment by a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus, comprising:
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at least one device from a set of devices consisting of;
(a) a portable electrical device capable of storing electrical energy and requiring periodic recharging, and (b) a charging device for supplying electrical energy to said portable electrical device during recharging thereof;
wherein said portable electrical device and said charging device comprise respective complementary mating surfaces which transmit electrical energy from said charging device to said portable electrical device during recharging of said portable electrical device, said respective complementary mating surfaces having respective central axes, said respective complementary mating surfaces being in an aligned configuration opposing each other in which said central axes are substantially coincident during recharging; and
wherein said mating surfaces are aligned in each of a plurality of different angular positions with respect to each other about said substantially coincident central axes. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus, comprising:
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at least one device from a set of devices consisting of;
(a) a portable electrical device capable of storing electrical energy and requiring periodic recharging, and (b) a charging device for supplying electrical energy to said portable electrical device during recharging thereof;
wherein said portable electrical device and said charging device comprise respective complementary mating surfaces which transmit electrical energy from said charging device to said portable electrical device during recharging of said portable electrical device, said respective complementary mating surfaces being in an aligned configuration opposing each other during recharging;
wherein the mating surface of said charging device is a concave, upwardly facing surface; and
wherein said portable electrical device is placed upon said charging device by a user, said portable electrical device sinking to the bottom of said concave, upwardly facing surface, said mating surfaces being shaped to automatically align with respect to each other using a gravitational force. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification